Crusader Staff Report
Funeral services have been announced for Rosetta Miller-Perry, founder, publisher and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Tribune, that state’s African American newspaper, which is a member of the Black Press.
A wake for Miller-Perry will be held Friday, July 10, at Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors in Nashville. Her funeral will be Saturday, July 11, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 7594 Old Hickory Blvd., Whites Creek, TN. Times for both services will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors in Nashville.
Miller-Perry died on June 26, nearly a week before her 92nd birthday. She was 91.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell remembered Miller-Perry as “a legend—entrepreneur, civil rights advocate, and news and opinion leader.”
Davidson County Assessor of Property Vivian Wilhoite described Miller-Perry as both a mentor and friend.
“Mrs. Rosetta Miller-Perry poured wisdom into my life through countless late-night conversations about politics, family, leadership, faith and life,” Wilhoite said.
“Her advice was honest, her encouragement unwavering and her commitment to our community unmatched.”
Wilhoite said Miller-Perry “built institutions, elevated voices and opened doors for generations of leaders.”
Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Yuri Cunza called Miller-Perry “a pioneering journalist, publisher, entrepreneur, civil rights advocate and one of Nashville’s true community builders.”
“She was a trailblazer whose impact extended far beyond the pages of the Tennessee Tribune,” Cunza said. “She understood the power of journalism to inform, unite and strengthen a community.”
During her lifetime she received more than 100 awards and honors, including the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the Black Press of America. A scholarship bearing her name was also established at the University of Memphis in recognition of her lifelong commitment to education, leadership and service.
Before founding the Tennessee Tribune, she spent more than 25 years in public service, including working for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and serving with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
In 1991, unable to secure financing from local banks, Miller-Perry invested $70,000 of her personal savings to launch the Tennessee Tribune. Under her leadership, the newspaper grew into one of Tennessee’s most influential Black-owned newspapers and a trusted voice for civil rights, community advocacy and Black-owned businesses. She later moved the newspaper’s headquarters to historic Jefferson Street, establishing its permanent home in the heart of Nashville’s historic Black community.
She was also founder of the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce and charter member of Nashville’s Les Gemmes.
Born July 7, 1934, in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, she served in the United States Navy before earning her undergraduate degree from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. She was among the first African American students to graduate from the university. She continued her education at Howard University School of Law.
Her commitment to equality included service with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
As a federal observer for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Miller-Perry was stationed in Memphis during the 1968 sanitation workers strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Friends and colleagues often recalled that she also marched with Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement, experiences that shaped her lifelong commitment to justice and equality.
Under Miller-Perry’s leadership, the newspaper chronicled the challenges and achievements in Tennessee’s Black communities. Concerned about future generations of readers, Miller-Perry’s newspaper was dedicated to publishing positive stories overlooked by the mainstream media.
In 2021, the Tennessee Tribune opened one of two gift stores at Nashville International Airport.
The airport stores showcase products from HBCUs and Tennessee-owned businesses, giving small business owners exposure to thousands of travelers while highlighting the creativity and innovation of local entrepreneur.
